|
|
Post by cunningr on Jan 11, 2019 10:34:12 GMT -6
Hi,
Hope everyone is well. I started working on intervals this week with my instructor which has lead to more research. I get the basic idea, but not sure how to apply or best way to practice. Any help greatly appreciated.
Rich
|
|
|
|
Post by Phil on Jan 11, 2019 12:55:40 GMT -6
Hi, Hope everyone is well. I started working on intervals this week with my instructor which has lead to more research. I get the basic idea, but not sure how to apply or best way to practice. Any help greatly appreciated. Rich You need to be a little more specific. Are you talking about playing a major scale in 3rds, for example? Going thru the intervals as they relate to the root? The intervals that make up chords? |
|
|
|
Post by cunningr on Jan 11, 2019 13:06:49 GMT -6
Hi, Hope everyone is well. I started working on intervals this week with my instructor which has lead to more research. I get the basic idea, but not sure how to apply or best way to practice. Any help greatly appreciated. Rich You need to be a little more specific. Are you talking about playing a major scale in 3rds, for example? Going thru the intervals as they relate to the root? The intervals that make up chords? Well I do not know, about as much as I understand is counting them in a Major scale to find the note. So i understand how to find the note from the root, but not sure why i care. Lol. Instructor gave me 4 comps using intervals to work on for example A root progression is 1 5 7b 8 |
|
|
|
Post by Phil on Jan 11, 2019 14:16:53 GMT -6
You need to be a little more specific. Are you talking about playing a major scale in 3rds, for example? Going thru the intervals as they relate to the root? The intervals that make up chords? Well I do not know, about as much as I understand is counting them in a Major scale to find the note. So i understand how to find the note from the root, but not sure why i care. Lol. Instructor gave me 4 comps using intervals to work on for example A root progression is 1 5 7b 8 Hey Rich,
Not sure what you mean by "progression is 1 5 b7 8." Is that a chord progression or do you mean you're supposed to play those notes from the major scale. I'm sure you already know this, but I just to be clear. An interval is simply a measure of the distance from one note to another. Intervals are written in ordinal numbers - 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. For example, F to A is an interval of a major 3rd. F to Ab is an interval of a minor 3rd. Think about that for a minute and look at it on the fretboard. The reason you should care is that when someone points out that a diminished chord repeats itself every time you move it up a minor 3rd you'll understand what they're talking about. When you learn that a major triad is constructed from the root, 3rd and 5th of the major scale you'll understand the concept and see how chords are built from the major scale. So, again, an interval is the distance between 2 notes and it's a basic concept that you should learn. It helps when communicating with other musicians and understanding music in general. I'm sure Justin Sandercoe or somebody has a lesson on this. This stuff can be confusing at first, but it's actually quite simple and logical once you grasp it.
Ask more if you're having trouble. This stuff will eventually click. It took me quite awhile to grasp it.
|
|
|
|
Post by cunningr on Jan 12, 2019 5:06:20 GMT -6
I understand that its the distance between notes but like is it always counted using the major scale? I get 1 = Root then 2m,2M,3m,3M,4,5dis,5,6m,6M,7m,7M,8 (Octave)
Going up 1 string I see clearly but Goiing down the strings little confused is it always using the Major scale pattern. Basically the basics you explained is about all I really understand. So the comp I posted means he wants me to play the note associated with that interval number, I have several others but so beat 1 is Root or 1st interval then next note is the 5th interval, then 7m, last beat 8, then repeat starting bar 2. Basically a guitar pattern that doubles along with the bass.
What I don't get is knowing the intervals how will that help me improvise. Is there certain intervals that work together that sound better or what. I think I watched that lesson from justin the other lessons usually re-explain what I understand. Like its the distance between notes, and can be used to build scales eat.... Would ask instructor but still struggling with a little language barrier. lol
|
|
|
|
Post by grampalerxst on Jan 12, 2019 6:02:41 GMT -6
Rich, maybe the linked video will help a little.
My take is that learning intervals gives you a "language" for note relationships that is independent of key signature. The language can be verbal, or it can be "shapes" on the guitar (sort of a visualization from a given string/fret pair to another string/fret pair separated in pitch by the interval). Each note's interval relative to the key signature's (or the current chord's) root has a characteristic sound. If you have sharp ears you'll begin to recognize the characteristic sound of the intervals and build an association of the two. Basically, that is what people mean by relative pitch and what "ear training" is all about. I struggle with this a lot, so I guess I have stone ears. I do work on it a little, but I should do a lot more. If you have extraordinary ears you can do it all by ear. If nothing else learning the intervals by name allows easier communication between you and the teacher, plus if you learn to associate the characteristic sounds with the intervals it facilitates analyzing what you hear or play. The video shows a way to use knowledge of intervals to learn your way around the entire fingerboard.
|
|
|
|
Post by Phil on Jan 12, 2019 10:00:54 GMT -6
I understand that its the distance between notes but like is it always counted using the major scale? I get 1 = Root then 2m,2M,3m,3M,4,5dis,5,6m,6M,7m,7M,8 (Octave) Going up 1 string I see clearly but Goiing down the strings little confused is it always using the Major scale pattern. Basically the basics you explained is about all I really understand. So the comp I posted means he wants me to play the note associated with that interval number, I have several others but so beat 1 is Root or 1st interval then next note is the 5th interval, then 7m, last beat 8, then repeat starting bar 2. Basically a guitar pattern that doubles along with the bass. What I don't get is knowing the intervals how will that help me improvise. Is there certain intervals that work together that sound better or what. I think I watched that lesson from justin the other lessons usually re-explain what I understand. Like its the distance between notes, and can be used to build scales eat.... Would ask instructor but still struggling with a little language barrier. lol Rich, Everything regarding music theory relates to the major scale. It's the starting point. The foundation. Your 1st question: are intervals always counted using the major scale? The answer is no. Intervals are intervals regardless of the scale. The distance from F to A is a major 3rd no matter what scale you're in. C to A a major 6th, etc. However, if you're in a key or tonal center then certainly you're going to use the root of that key as your point of reference to measure from. It looks to me that your teacher is trying to get you to develop what Barney Kessel calls "interval sense". The ability to hear some notes (maybe in your head or from something you heard) and have you fingers go to those notes without fumbling around. What he's having you do is a way to develop that ear/finger connection. He's sneaking that in on you without you even being aware of it. Sounds to me like he's a darn good teacher. I'd just continue to do whatever he tells you to do. Try this: put your index finger on any random note. Now play "Happy Birthday". The more fumbling around you had to do the less developed your "interval sense" is. After you can play "Happy Birthday" in one position try it in another. Your fingers will probably find the right intervals. Crossing over to the B string will throw everything off by a fret, but you'll quickly make the adjustment. Again, I think your teacher is leading you in the right direction. So, I hope you can now see how doing the exercises he's giving you will (eventually) help in improvising.
Edit: I didn't get a chance to watch grampa's video yet, but I do want to watch it. Those guys know their stuff.
|
|
|
|
Post by cunningr on Jan 12, 2019 11:40:39 GMT -6
Gramps very helpful video, going to watch it again.
|
|
|
|
Post by cunningr on Jan 12, 2019 12:19:25 GMT -6
Thanks Phil, I think I need get a better understanding on how to count down the strings, way I do it now is I know 4rth and 5th are so count back from there. I am sure it will come around. My instructor is very good, I really enjoy going to my class. He is an archeologist by day and blues musician by night lol....
That video is excellent so watch it for sure, enlightened me on what to do now for practice.
|
|
|
|
Post by cunningr on Jan 12, 2019 15:51:18 GMT -6
Doing more work based off video and just realized that each string between open and 12 has 1 of each note. So Now I am learning where all A notes are located and listening to the interval tone. So am learning something here, thanks for your imput!
|
|
|
|
Post by Phil on Jan 12, 2019 18:35:25 GMT -6
Thanks Phil, I think I need get a better understanding on how to count down the strings, way I do it now is I know 4rth and 5th are so count back from there. I am sure it will come around. My instructor is very good, I really enjoy going to my class. He is an archeologist by day and blues musician by night lol.... That video is excellent so watch it for sure, enlightened me on what to do now for practice. Yeah, that's a good way start. Notice that the 3rd is always 1 string up and 1 fret down except from the G string to the B string where it's the same fret. Take it a little bit at a time. It will eventually sink in, but it's not going to happen tomorrow.
Here's something that I realized a few months ago and it really helps me in figuring out chords and name notes. Take a single fret and follow it down from 6th to 1st string treating the 6th string as the root note. Let's do fret 5.
6 (A) - Root 5 (D) - 4th 4 (G) - b7th 3 (C) - b3rd 2 (E) - 5th 1 (A) - Root/Octave
Now, work out the intervals starting with Root on 5th string and Root on 4th string. I found it very helpful with seeing the intervals in a chord.
If you have the cycle of 4ths memorized and know the note name on the 6th string you can rattle off the note names of strings 6 to 3 on any fret in a second. I always stumble and have to think when I get to the B string because it's a 3rd above the G string.
The cycle of 4ths is easy to remember - just remember the word BEAD.
C - F - Bb - Eb - Ab - Db - Gb/F# - B - E - A - D - G - and back to C |
|
|
|
Post by joachim on Jan 13, 2019 4:18:36 GMT -6
Rich, one very helpful ability is to be able play the major scale starting anywhere on the neck. Don't bother memorizing shapes, just learn to find 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 from anywhere and moving in whatever direction you need. It's ok to make mistakes, your ear will tell you're wrong. It also makes it easy to analyze chords or arpeggios. And it's not as hard as it sounds.
|
|
|
|
Post by jack1982 on Jan 13, 2019 9:39:01 GMT -6
|
|
|
|
Post by cunningr on Jan 13, 2019 11:51:56 GMT -6
Jack those look similiar to what my instructor has me working on. Great diagram thanks.
|
|
